Improvement in railway-switches



J. D. MU RCH IS UN &W. T. HANEY.

Railway-Switches.

Patented Dec. 22,1874.

No.I58 14.

'INVENfOB:

WITNESSES ATTGBN s.

UNITED STATES ATENT ()rrron.

JOHN D. MUROHISON AND WILLIAM T. HANEY, OF TAYLORSVILLE, GA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,114, dated December 22, 1874; application filed September 26, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN D. MURGHISON and WILLIAM T. HANEY, of Taylorsville, in the county of Bartow and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Railroad- Switch, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a top view of our improved railroad-switch Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 0 c, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, a detail side view of the lever and stan dard arrangement for changing the switchrails, partly in section on the line no as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

Our invention relates to an improved safety-switch for railroads, by which the switchrails may be thrown into the position required from the locomotive, in whatever direction or track the same is approaching, setting the same with perfect ease and dispatch, so as to avoid accidents caused bywrongly-set switches. Our invention consists of pivoted switch-rails, which are set byalongitudinal crank-rod connected therewith, and by pivoted lever-rods and elbow-levers, operated by curved upright levers at both sides, and at suitable distances from each end of the switch-rails, to be struck by a laterally-adjustable bar at the head-block of the locomotive.

In the drawing, A represents the rails of the main track; B, those of the side track, and O the switch-rails, which are pivoted at one end to a broader cross-tie, D, and connected at the other end by a lateral bar, 0, sliding on a larger supporting cross'tie, D. The sliding end of the switch-rails C is connected by a stationary head, a, and a pivoted lever, b, with the crank part of a longitudinal crank-rod, E, which swings readily in staples d of the ties, being placed between the switchrails in the direction of the central axis of the main track A, and extended at both ends a short distance beyond the switch-rails. Crankrod E is also provided with cranks at the extreme ends, and operated in both directions by laterally-extending lever-rods c pivoted thereto. The outer ends of lever-rods e are at both sides connected with symmetrically arranged elbow-levers f, which are pir'oted at their angular parts, and connected by rods 9 with the lower ends of curved upright levers F, which swing on vertical standards F, secured firmly to the cross-ties sidewise of the rails. The swinging levers F are placed with the curved parts toward the switch-rails O,

'for the purpose of being struck with less violence by the laterally-adjustable bar G, which slides on the locomotive head-block, being operated to either side by a connecting pitman and crank-rod from the cab of the engine. A lateral latch-piece, H, is pivoted with one end to the tie on which the switch-rails slide, and forced in upward direction by a spring, h, at the opposite end. A projecting catch, 1, at the upper end of latch H, binds on the base of one of the switch-rails, and locks them firmly in position to connect with the rails of the main or side tracks. The crank part of rod E, to which the pivoted switch-rail lever I) is attached, passes through a slot, m, of latchpiece H, causing its downward pressure when one of the curved levers is depressed, so that the switch-rails are released from the catch Z, and slide readily in either direction, to be locked instantly as soon as the crank-pressure on the latch piece is terminated.

The operation of the switch is very simple. The engineer sets, by means of the lateral sliding front bar, the switch-rails into the position required, by simply engaging the corresponding curved lever-arms, so that he can readily pass from main to side track in either direction, and vice versa, without any switch-tender. The pushing action of the mechanism slides the switch-rails instantly in position for the locomotive, and is thereby more effective and reliable than the devices for pulling the sliding rails into position.

For the purpose of preventing the locking of the switch-rails with the rails of the main and side track by their expansion, the bars H are provided sidewise of the switch-rails encircling the same for connecting the rail ends of the main and side tracks, and admit thus the unobstructed working of the switch in different temperatures.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of a crank-rod arranged between the rails, the upright pivoted and curved levers F, located outside the rails O, rods 0 I) g, elbowdevers f, and the switch-rails, all as shown and described, whereby the switch may be operated in either direction by a tripping device on the locomotive when approaching from either direction, as specified.

JOHN D. MUROHISON. WM. T. HANEY. Witnesses:

J. K. ROWAN, J. G. GREENE. 

